EDIT (2011-07-18): This is a brief summary of my experience of laser eye surgery. It’s now almost a year since I had it done, and I’ve still got perfect vision. Absolutely worth every second of discomfort!

The short version

To do laser magic, they slice a flap in your eye, peel back the flap, laser it a bit, then put it back together.

And you have to be awake and watch the whole thing for some reason…

Intralase: expensive. Safer. Better results. For my eyes, expensive==better. They make the slice with another laser instead of a knife.